Crimson Bears soccer girls defeat Service 4-0 in consolation semifinals

Klas Stolpe
May 29
4 min read

JDHS will play Colony for fourth place in the state tournament

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Peyton Wheeler puts a shot past Service freshman Taylyn Reed (9) and sophomore Fiona Watts (23) during the Crimson Bears’ 4-0 win over the Cougars in the consolation semifinals of the ASAA girls Soccer State Championships at Colony on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

One day after playing one of their most difficult games of the season, the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears played one of their better outings Friday in a 4-0 win over the Service Cougars during the state soccer tournament at Colony High School.

“I think the Wasilla game was just really hard for us,” JDHS sophomore Ayla Erickson said. “We seemed to be off, but I think all of us kept working through the game. So even though it didn’t end in our favor, all of us worked really hard.”

Erickson said the team focused on the elimination game Friday with a win-first attitude.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Ayla Erickson (16) heads a ball to score against Service during the Crimson Bears’ 4-0 win over the Cougars in the consolation semifinals of the ASAA girls Soccer State Championships at Colony on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

“I think our defense played a lot better,” Erickson said. “We were being first to every ball and then had ways to finish the ball too.”

JDHS was in a battle through the first half, and neither team could get the advantage.

The pitch widened for JDHS in the second half and the goals followed.

JDHS senior Peyton Wheeler scored her 71st career Crimson Bears goal off an assist by freshman Maddie Dale.

“I think after the Wasilla loss it was really upsetting for us because we had beaten them before,” Dale said. “But we just had to push it aside and focus on this game because we are still in it. We just have to focus on going for fourth, because that is the best we could do. We just had to put that game away and focus on today.”

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Gracie Snyder (22) deflects a ball past Service freshman Taylyn Reed (9) during the Crimson Bears’ 4-0 win over the Cougars in the consolation semifinals of the ASAA girls Soccer State Championships at Colony on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Wheeler had five shots in the match.

“We had a talk at half and said we really need to pick up our energy,” Dale said. “Either we win this or this could be, like, our seniors’ last game. We are doing it for them and we are doing it for our team. So we just picked up our energy and it changed a lot. I was really just trying to win the balls and just being aggressive and giving it my all. Giving 100% throughout the whole game. We were really connecting more as a team.”

Erickson would score the next two goals, both off assists by Wheeler.

These were Erickson’s first two career state tournament goals in the game and she received the team’s Hard Hat Award after the match.

“Scoring a state goal was really exciting,” Erickson said. “It makes me want to work harder and train more because you work all for this, and then you get here, and you have to show yourself and it is really exciting. I think one of the big things today was we really wanted to win our last game because it is the last game for our seniors. So we are really happy to be able to play one more and hopefully show what we can do and end in fourth place.”

JDHS junior Riley Schultz scored the final Crimson Bears goal, and the celebration was just as great as the first goal of the second half.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Riley Schultz plays a ball past Service freshman Taylyn Reed during the Crimson Bears 4-0 win over the Cougars in the consolation semifinals of the ASAA girls Soccer State Championships at Colony on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Schultz had three shots, Dale and Erickson two shots apiece, freshman Hailey Romero, sophomore Zoe Tagsip and senior Kenzie Simonson one each. Senior Tearamae Alexander played 65 minutes and had three saves, senior Raynona Fraker came on for 15 minutes.

JDHS’ Wheeler and Service senior Sky Tapio received ASAA Player of the Game honors.

Erickson and sophomore defender Nellie Stowers played 80 minutes, Wheeler 75, Simonson 74, Schultz, junior Kate Bovitz and sophomore Marigold Lindoff 70 each, Dale 58, Tagsip 46, senior Piper Blackgoat Diehl 34, Romero 31, junior Clairee Overson 28, freshman Maya Mothershead 22, freshman Mia Alexander 19, sophomore Gracie Snyder 12, and sophomore Cooper Blackgoat Diehl, freshman Amaya Henderson and freshman Emma Kovach 10 each.

“I think we came out and showed who we are,” JDHS coach Matt Dusneberry said. “The girls talked at halftime about not letting this be our last 40 minutes together. And they did, they came out with energy.”

JDHS will face Railbelt Conference foe Colony in the fourth/sixth-place game Saturday. Colony defeated West Valley 1-0 in the other consolation bracket semifinal.

Wasilla defeated second seed Chugiak 2-1 and will meet top seed South Anchorage - a 4-0 winner over fifth seed Dimond - in the Division I girls state championship game on Saturday.